I first fell in love with Corsica when I stepped foot on the laid-back island in 2019. We were visiting my then boyfriend-now husband’s family for the first time and I was extremely excited and nervous. Back then, we had to fly in from Singapore to Frankfurt, wait for a layover and hop onto a plane to Marseille. From Marseille, we had to take another local plane to Figari-South Corsica Airport and just writing this brought me back to the long anguish hours of travelling. But what’s an adventure without the leap of faith?
As I gear up for my next visit end of this September, I find that more and more airlines are now opening routes from Singapore to the fourth largest and beautiful island in the Mediterranean. British Airways, Swiss Airlines and Air France now have layovers in London, Zurich and Paris before departing directly for Corsica, saving me a tonne of headache.
But back to Corsica.
The air is different. The water glistens and the people are so nice to begin with, even with me trying with my broken French. The Immortelle flowers that grow wild and free in the Corsica Marquis are found in the beloved L’Occitane beauty brand. You could smell it even as you walk along the streets.
The curves of the valley make for great hiking days, as I come to realise when my in-laws were actively doing on an almost daily basis (I’m always last and behind their trails). Days are spent lazing on the beaches with clear blue water, or even night fishing.
For excursions, we drove out to Bonifacio, known for its marina and medieval clifftop citadels. Stroll alongside the marina, discover the rich heritage in the diversity of its churches – including Saint-Dominique, Corsica’s only Gothic church – and visit Escalier du Roy du Aragon as you descend its 189 steps and find yourself facing Sardinia, just above water level.
The old Genoese walled town of Porto Vecchio also offers picturesque views of stone houses and narrow streets. To cool down, we dipped in natural rock pools in Cavu.
It always feels like a dream to be out there and I do envision my wedding party to be held here (ask me again later when are the preparations) and as the unofficial ambassador of Corsica, there’s only so much I can share, but I’d implore you to explore.
